eng Oriental Scientific Publishing Company Biosciences Biotechnology Research Asia 0973-1245 2025-12-30 22 4 1636 1653 10.13005/bbra/3466 56936 article Beena Pal 1 Amar Prakash Garg 2 Damodar Gupta 3 School of Biological Engineering and Life Sciences, Shobhit Institute of Engineering & Technology, Meerut, India. Research and Development Cell, Swami Vivekanand Subharti University, Subhartipuram, Meerut, India. Depatartment of Neutraceutics, Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences, Defence Research and Development Organization, Delhi, India. Phytochemicals are naturally occurring bioactive chemical compounds produced by plants and play a significant role in preventing chronic diseases like heart diseases, cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effects of different drying methods [sun-dried (SD), shade-dried (ShD), oven-dried (OD) and microwave-dried (MD)] on phytochemicals and antioxidant properties of leaves of Cymbopogon citratus. Following the drying process an aqueous extract of the leaves of C. citratus was prepared. Qualitative analysis of extract showed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolics, Phytosteroids, tannins, carbohydrates, glycosides, terpenoids, proteins and amino acids. The range of total protein content was 122.43 ± 4.15 to 314.91 ± 5.11 µg BSAE / mg dry extract, carbohydrate content 147.75 ± 8.01 to 313.17 ± 3.00 µg GE / mg dry extract, phenol content 107.01 ± 7.30 to 155.94 ± 4.94 µg GAE / mg dry extract and flavonoid content 176.02 ± 5.85 to 340.84 ± 6.00 µg QE / mg dry weight in aqueous extract (SD, ShD, OD and MD) of C. citratus. Moreover, MD leaves extract showed the strong potential against DPPH free radicals with IC50 = 222.81 ± 7.57 µg/ml, the highest reducing capacity as evaluated by the ferric reducing antioxidant assay and the highest nitric oxide scavenging activity with IC50 = 141.98 ± 6.65 µg/ml. Overall, microwave drying (MD) was found better than sun drying, shade drying and oven drying methods for leaves of C. citratus based on higher availability of bioactive compounds and preserved. https://www.biotech-asia.org/vol22no4/effect-of-different-drying-methods-on-phytochemicals-and-antioxidant-potential-of-cymbopogon-citratus/ Antioxidants; Cymbopogon citratus; Drying methods; Free radicals; Oxidation stress; Pphytochemicals